Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Caraguatatuba Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Caraguatatuba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $821 in Caraguatatuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,320 in Caraguatatuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,819 in Caraguatatuba.

Living in Phuket is roughly 50% more expensive than in Caraguatatuba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Caraguatatuba 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$7.31 R$37.69

-39.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$28.18 R$145

14.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$8.09 R$41.69

10.38%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.23 R$11.50

30.04%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.18 R$6.10

-25.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.92 R$4.72

-47.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.38 R$12.24

-1.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.14 R$16.18

18.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$0.97 R$5.01

92.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.51 R$7.78

-2.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.31 R$6.75

18.32%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.92 R$9.87

9.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$5.89 R$30.34

232.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$3.09 R$15.91

10.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$7.64 R$39.34

48.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.08 R$10.70

43.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.76 R$9.08

-4.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.42 R$7.34

55.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.51 R$7.76

43.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.28 R$6.61

18.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.75 R$3.88

78.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.66 R$3.39

71.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.76 R$3.93

-27.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.03 R$10.46

109.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$6.62 R$34.11

188.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.47 R$7.57

21.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.43 R$12.50

14.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.95 R$4.91

134.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$22.80 R$117

-0.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.11 R$5.70

172.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.69 R$3.56

47.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$3.48 R$17.90

11.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.27 R$6.55

17.32%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$14.9K R$76.8K

78.31%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$29.0K R$149.6K

-6.92%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$102 ฿3,420

$64.5 R$332

58.94%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.33 ฿378

$12.90 R$66.5

-12.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$22.19 R$114

-21.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$20.94 R$108

148.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$15.33 R$79.0

-27.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$7.94 R$40.90

-3.15%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$561 ฿18.7K

$212 R$1,094

164.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$4,066 R$20.9K

182.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$54.2 R$279

16.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$55.4 R$285

-46.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$74.6 R$384

31.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$57.5 R$296

53.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$415 R$2,140

77.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$226 R$1,165

113.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$855 R$4,403

146.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$520 R$2,680

135.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,622 R$8,355

123.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$1,130 R$5,822

130.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$333 R$1,715

48.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.15

-31.66%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Caraguatatuba: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $415 in Caraguatatuba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 48% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $28.00 in Caraguatatuba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $171 per month, with Caraguatatuba cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Phuket vs Caraguatatuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caraguatatuba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 48% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $415 in Caraguatatuba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 60% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Caraguatatuba – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $821 in Caraguatatuba versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Caraguatatuba but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Caraguatatuba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Caraguatatuba is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Caraguatatuba are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Caraguatatuba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.